Melvin Louis Kops, 90, of Havre, a U.S. Navy World War II veteran and farmer north of Inverness, d i e d o f congestive heart failure at his home o n Apr i l 2 0 , 2009.
A funera l Ma s s will celebrated 11 a.m. Wednesday at S t . J u d e Thaddeus Catholic Church of Havre. Burial will immediately follow at the Calvary Cemetery in Havre. Memorials in Melvin’s honor may be made to St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic School or to a memorial of your choice. Services and arrangements have been entrusted to Holland & Bonine Funeral Home. Melvin was born Feb. 13, 1919, in Havre, one of four children to Harold and Irene Kops. Melvin graduated in 1937. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served from 1939 to 1946, finishing his duty on the USS Arapaho. After serving in the Navy, Melvin moved to Centralia, Wash., where he met his wife of 59 years, Bonnie. Melvin worked seven-and-ahalf years for Kraft Foods in Cehalias, Wash., and began raising their family of three. In 1958, Melvin and family moved to Havre, Mont., to start farming north of Inverness, with his brother Franklin. He dedicated his life to farming from 1959 to 1991. After moving to Havre with his wife, Melvin continued to help his son, Kenny, with farming until 2007 when his health would not allow it. After moving to Havre, Melvin enjoyed going to Bing n Bob’s to have coffee and working with his brother Franklin, making new friends and telling hunting and fishing stories over coffee. Melvin loved to go hunting and fishing. Often, you would find Bonnie and Melvin out at the Bear Paw Mountains trying to catch their limit or “the Big One,” which ever came first. Melvin was preceded in death by his parents and his infant twin brother. Melvin loved his wife, children, family and friends to the fullest, looking forward to everyone’s visits and visiting his friends. His favorite saying was “Do you have to leave already, you just got here.” He is survived by his wife, Bonnie Kops of Havre; a son, Kennth Kops (Angie, his fiance’) of Helena; two daughters, Kathy (Ken) Haugen of Great Falls; Karen (Pat) Wynne of Helena; brother Frankl i n (Joyce) Kops of Havre; sister Bernyce Mills of Puyallup, Wash.; four grandchildren, Heather (Josh) Wendell of Great Falls, Erik Haugen of Great Falls and Hannah and Bailey Kops of Helena. He is also survived by three greatg ra n d c h i l d r e n , Br e c ke n , Kaitlyn and Jaydee, along with several nieces and nephews.
